Wildest in the West
by LuckydaNewsie
Summary: Raider, the wildest girl in Texas, travels to NYC after a bad confrontation with the leader of the Rangers. She runs into the Newsies and decides to become a Newsie herself. This story tells the tale.
1. Default Chapter

Wildest in the West Chapter 1 By: Lucky Windsor  
  
"Everyone, hands up! I said git your hands up now!" I pointed my gun at an elderly man. "Did you not hear what I said? Hands up!" His wrinkled old face became fearful as he stared into the barrel of my gun, which I fondly call Silver Lightening. He slowly raised his hands to the sky. I laughed maliciously. "That's right. I'se in charge here." My voice sounded oddly hoarse and husky under the dirty, old rag that covered my face. I looked over at the Western Union banker, who was hurriedly stuffing bills into six brown, dingy sacks that lay next to him. "Hurry up!" I yelled, waving Silver Lightening over my head. One of the guards, Stallion, nodded. I knew it was his way of saying it was time to go. Stallion was our leader, and like his namesake, wild and unkempt. I walked over and grabbed the full bags from the red-faced banker.  
  
"Here ya go, Ms." He looked at me questionably.  
  
"Raider. The name's Raider." I placed my brown cowboy hat over my long, wavy blonde hair. "Thank ya folks for doing business with da Rangers!" I yelled and shot Silver Lightening up at the roof. I laughed while a couple women screamed and I hightailed it out of there.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
"Happy birthday, Jaclyn." One of my older brothers, Trey said to me.  
  
"Thanks." I replied happily. All of the Rangers were seated at the bar at our favorite saloon, Jimmy's. Stallion came over to me and put his muscular arm around me.  
  
"You did real good today, Raider." He said. "Hey Sarah! Give this lady here another drink!" I turned my head away to avoid the stench of his alcoholic breath.  
  
"Thanks Stallion, for letting me lead the raid." I replied, guzzling down the beer that Sarah had placed in front of me. Stallion laughed drunkenly.  
  
"Well, it ain't everyday that the only girl in the Rangers turns sixteen. What is that? Your seventh beer?" I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing myself. "Oh well, you could always hold your liquor better than most of the guys here. Hey, could I talk to you outside for a little bit?" I nodded. "I'll meet you outside in a couple of seconds." I placed some money on the counter and went outside. I stood there for a moment, staring up at the great Texan sky. The stars twinkled and seemed to be singing Happy Birthday to me. The door to the saloon swung open and Stallion joined me.  
  
"I remember when you joined the Rangers when you were ten. It's been six years and you've grown up very nicely." He said, slurring his words together. "Very nicely." He eyed me greedily and stumbled towards me. Confused, I started backing up towards the horses. He caught up to me and grabbed me in his arms, kissing my mouth, my throat, anywhere. His behavior sickened me and I kicked him in man's most painful area. I jumped on my horse, Belle, and started towards home.  
  
I knew my seven brothers would never let another Ranger touch me, but when they're drunk, there's not much they can do. And like Stallion had said, I had grown up nicely. I knew it, Stallion knew it, my family knew it and it was just a matter of time before the other boys noticed it too. I knew what happened to the girls who got knocked-up by boys like the Rangers. They became pregnant, were kicked out of the house and had to take a job at some sleazy place like Jimmy's. I sure as hell did not want that to happen to me. I unsaddled Belle and gave her some carrots to eat before heading inside. I knew what I had to do, I had to leave. Get as far away from the Rangers and Texas as possible. I came to the family room and looked at my dad reading the newspaper. He looked up at me.  
  
"Home so early?" He asked surprised. I nodded.  
  
"I wasn't feeling so good so I decided to take off early." I lied.  
  
"I'll make you some tea if you'd like." He offered, I declined and headed to my room. I got a small carpetbag out of my closet and placed my most precious items in there: my picture of my parents on their wedding day, my picture of my whole family, a picture of the Rangers, Silver Lightening, my whip, all of the money that I had accumulated and three extra sets of clothing. I opened my window and quietly snuck out. Before leaving the farm, I turned and looked back, remembering everything that had happened there. I felt bad for leaving my father, because I knew that he would be the one affected the most. He had always said that I was the only thing he had left of my mother, who had died giving birth to me. All of my seven older brothers had my father's dark, rugged good looks; while I was the only one who inherited my mother's bright and beautiful features. I sighed and blew my father a kiss, which he would unknowingly receive. I walked the few miles to the train yard and jumped the train that left the soonest. I made myself comfortable in a boxcar and fell asleep, exhausted from the day's events. 


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!  
  
Hades Pisky Emu Gip Classic Bottle Cap Pandora Aki Punk Revolution: I love your stories!! Keep updating!! Autumn Stress~ Hey you're a poet and you don't even know it. Well, yeah ya do.but ya get the idea. ( To anyone I forgot!! I am sorry!!  
  
Wildest in the West  
  
By: Raider Chapter 2  
  
"Girly, get up! Come on, get up!" Raider moved a little and woke up to see a middle aged man prodding her with a stick. "Get up!"  
  
"Where I am?" She murmured, as the events of yesterday came flooding back to her. She sank back down into the hay.  
  
"No. Listen, girly. You have to get off this train. We're leaving in a couple hours for San Francisco and we need this cart for cargo." The man said. She groaned and sat up.  
  
"Where am I?" She asked.  
  
"You don't even know where you are. Well that puts you in a predicament, don't it girly?" The man said with a chuckle at his own humor.  
  
"If you're the only one laughing at your weird, twisted joke; then I guess it means it's not funny. Can you just tell me where I am?" The man was taken back by the boldness from this girl.  
  
"You're at the Grand Central Station in New York City." He said. "Now get off my train!" He raised his hand to strike her, but she grabbed her stuff and jumped off the cart.  
  
"Thanks!" She exclaimed, turning around to glance once more at the red- faced middle-aged man. She made her way out of the station and took in her surroundings. "New York City!" She marveled. "Wow!" High buildings surrounded her and in the distance she could see the Brooklyn Bridge. "This is quite a change from Texas." She thought. The only city she had ever been to was Canyon Break, and that hardly qualified as a city. All it had was a couple of shops, a school, a couple of saloons and a post office. She was too busy looking at the people and things around her that she wasn't paying much attention to what was in front of her. WHAM! She collided into a girl about her height with blonde hair. The papers she was carrying went everywhere.  
  
"I am so sorry!" Raider apologized, picking up the papers that went flying everywhere due to the gusty wind.  
  
"Its ok." The girl laughed. "You've never been here before have you?"  
  
"No. How could you tell?"  
  
"The way that you were looking at the buildings around you. You had this kind of wide opened curiosity."  
  
"Hey Stryker." Her companion, a shorter, redheaded girl said. "Don't she remind you of Cowboy?" The taller one looked her over.  
  
"Come to think of it, yes she does."  
  
"Cowboy? You have cowboys in this city?" Raider asked excitedly.  
  
"Well, he ain't really a cowboy." The redhead said. "He just wants to be one."  
  
"Oh. So how come I remind you of him?" Raider asked.  
  
"Well for one thing, that cowboy hat you have on. And you have about the same color hair as him, blonder though. And your skin color." The taller one said. Raider laughed.  
  
"So I have a twin in New York? Didn't think it would be possible. Could you take me to this cowboy guy?"  
  
"Sure. Its almost six'o'clock, so everyone is probably at Tibby's for dinner."  
  
"Dinner sounds good." Raider said. "I haven't eaten anything for almost a full day now. I'm sorry, I didn't catch either one of your names."  
  
"Well, you're very polite. I'm Stryker and this is my friend, Classic." The tall, blonde one said. The redhead nodded her greetings.  
  
"I'm only polite around girls. Everyone always said that you put on your best manners for the women and don't put on any matters at all for the guys, back where I come from. I really only associate with guys." Raider said.  
  
"Where are you from?" Classic asked her.  
  
"Clearwater, Texas. Home of the Rangers, which I was proud to be the only girl there." She said proudly.  
  
"Well, you've come a bit of a way." Stryker said. "Why did you come all the way out here to the city?"  
  
"I really don't want to talk about it." Raider said, closing the subject.  
  
"Fair enough.We didn't get your name." Stryker said.  
  
"My real name's Jaclyn. But to everyone out West, I was known as Raider."  
  
"Raider it is then." Classic said. "What are you going to do out here in the city?"  
  
"I really don't know. I'll probably find some place to stay tonight and then get a job." Raider suggested, looking at her two new friends.  
  
"Well, we're Newsies." Classic said.  
  
"What?" Raider interrupted.  
  
"Newsies, we sell the papes everyday."  
  
"Oh, Newsies." Raider said.  
  
"If ya want to try it out for a couple of days, we could try to get you a bed at our Lodging House, Bottle Alley." Stryker suggested.  
  
"Really?" Raider asked, amazed at these two girls' niceness towards her. "That would be great. Do other Newsies stay there?"  
  
"Yeah, pretty much all the girls who sell in this area of Manhattan stay at Bottle Alley and the guys stay at the Manhattan Boys Lodging House." Stryker explained.  
  
"When will I get to meet these other Newsies?" Raider asked.  
  
"Well, right now actually. Most of the Newsies meet here at Tibby's for dinner." Classic said before pushing open a glass door.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
"Hey Classic, Stryker!" Stress called out, waving them over.  
  
"What do ya got there?" Race asked, noticing Raider standing next to them. "Dat Jack's twin or something." Classic and Stryker lead Raider over to the table where the majority of the Newsies were.  
  
"This is Raider. She just got here from Texas." Stryker said. "That's Jack down there. Next to him is Stress and there's Race, Blink, Mush and Aki. On the other side is Toity, Lucky, Cole and Specs. Everyone else must be already done or they're still selling, but you'll meet them later." Raider's eyes roamed the table and finally settling on Jack.  
  
"So you must be the wannabe cowboy?" She asked a little too sarcastically. Jack put on his hat.  
  
"I ain't a wannabe. I'm the real thing." He said. She laughed.  
  
"I bet ya don't even know how to saddle a horse. Besides, being a cowboy ain't all its supposed to be." She said, her blue eyes looking past everybody into a distant memory.  
  
Sensing a confrontation brewing Lucky decided to change the topic. "Sorry, my pal over here can sometimes be a little protective of his cowboyishness." Jack looked at her and she gave him a warning look. "I'm Lucky, best poker player this side of da Atlantic. That right there, is one of me best friends Cowboy or Jack Kelly. How'd ya get da name Raider?"  
  
"Have you ever heard of the Rangers?" She asked. A couple of them nodded.  
  
"We may look stupid but we can read and sometimes we actually read the papes we sell." Jack shot, still sore from her comment earlier.  
  
"Excuse me, Cowboy. Well anyways, I was a part of da Rangers. My whole family was. I was the only girl in it and up until a while ago I would be the one who, while they were holding up a bank, go around and raid people's purses and things. That's how I got it." She said.  
  
After a couple of seconds, Jack spoke up. "You're lying." He said harshly. "The Rangers were just guys and I never heard of a Raider in any of da papes."  
  
"Think what you like Cowboy. Do you think the Rangers would want everyone to know that they had a girl? Of course not. And the papers here don't give who was involved. They just say what happened. If you'll excuse me, I need to get away from this big mouth here that has no idea what he's saying." She placed her brown hat on her wavy blonde hair. "I'll just be outside if anyone wants me." Her blue eyes had that hard look in them, perfected by so many years out West, once again.  
  
"Way to go Jack." Stress said sarcastically. "Good job of scaring the new girl off."  
  
"Yeah. What's da matter with you? This one was actually pretty too." Aki turned and slapped his arm. "Not that you aren't too. You're way prettier then she is Aki."  
  
"Hey! She insulted me, what am I supposed to do? Just stand there and take it. Just because she's from West doesn't mean she knows what a cowboy is. She probably never set eyes on a cowboy in her life and is just making that thing up from the Rangers to make us believe that she's tough. She's probably just some semi-rich girl looking for entertainment in the big city."  
  
Toity spoke up quietly. "I believe her and I think she seems nice. A little bit tough, but nice all the same."  
  
"You know who she should meet? Spot." Lucky said. Aki agreed, he was one of her closest friends also. "We'll take her over there sometime this week. Just give her a second chance Jack. I'm sure she's had it rough the past couple of days." They looked out the window to where she stood in the front of the restaurant.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
Raider stood outside Tibby's, gazing at the sunset. It sure wasn't anything like the sunset in Texas. How dare that stupid wannabe Cowboy Newsie tell her what she wasn't! It infuriated her to even think about it. Suddenly, someone placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Hey baby, how 'bout ya come home with me?" The voice whispered seductively.  
  
Sullivan placed a hand on her shoulder. "Very nicely." He said again. He pulled her closer and started kissing her throat, mouth, anywhere he could lay his lips on. This time, she thought. This time is going to be different.  
  
She grabbed the hand and twisted it around. She kicked the man in the shin and pulled Silver Lightening out of her boot where she had put it for safe keeping the night before. She put it up by his face. "Don't you ever come near me again!" She hissed, staring into the face of the seductive whisper.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
"What is Oscar doing?" Stress asked, looking out the window. Everyone turned to look as Raider put the gun in Oscar's face.  
  
"What were you saying Jack? That this was a rich girl? That, Jack, that was a girl who knows how to fight." Lucky said to him triumphantly.  
  
"Really knows how to fight." He echoed.  
  
When Raider didn't release Oscar, Aki spoke up. "Umm..we should probably go and settle things between these two. I don't want her committing murder or anything." The Newsies hurried outside and pulled Oscar away from her. Blink talked to him in hushed tones for a moment and then headed back towards the group.  
  
"Hey Classic, Stryker. Could you guys show me where the Bottle Alley Lodging House is?" They nodded and hurried to follow Raider.  
  
"Where did ya learn to fight like that?" Jack asked.  
  
"I already told ya Cowboy. The Rangers. And that wasn't really fighting. You haven't seen fighting til you've seen it out West." She said sauntering off.  
  
"Show me proof you were from the Rangers." Jack said boldly.  
  
"You want proof? Proof?" She opened up the carpetbag she was carrying. "Is that proof enough for you?" The Newsies looked inside and gasped. Inside were hundreds of bills of every quantity. "That's from 6 years with the Rangers. And tomorrow can someone show me a bank? I'll see you all tomorrow, I want to sleep in a real bed now." With that, she started off.  
  
"Wait! Raider wait!" Jack called after her. He sprinted to catch up. "Tomorrow, can you show me some cowboy moves?"  
  
"Cowboy moves?" She asked, a smile beginning to dawn upon her face. "Sure, Jack. I'll call ya Cowboy when we have something to back it up with. Until then.." She trailed off and left, leaving Jack hanging. 


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! Hades Classic Relic~ Thanks for that awesome email! *hug* Angel Face\ RBLH GIRLS!!!!! Stress / Rae~ Happy Birthday!!! *hug* Nikki Anyone I forgot, here's a chocolate covered Newsie for you!!  
  
This is a pretty short chapter, but I just wanted her to meet some of the other girls.  
  
Wildest in the West By: Raider Chapter 3  
  
Classic and Stryker led the way to Bottle Alley. After a couple of twists and turns, they stopped in front of a homely looking establishment.  
  
"Well here it is." Stryker said.  
  
"Home, sweet home." Classic added. They took Raider inside and introduced her to Mrs. Cook, the elderly woman who ran the lodging house.  
  
"This is Raider. She'll be staying here for a while." Stryker said.  
  
"That's fine. You girls go up to the bunkroom. I have to ask Raider some questions and then she'll join you." Mrs. Cook said, shooing the girls away.  
  
"Well, Raider why don't you take a seat." Mrs. Cook suggested. She looked around and the only seat she saw was the one that Mrs. Cook was currently occupying. She thought for a second and then hopped up on the counter. Mrs. Cook smiled.  
  
"Showing ingenuity already. Ok, well we might as well get these questions over with. First, the fee is 5 cents per night and it must be paid before lights out at 11. Can you do that?" Raider pulled out a one-dollar bill and handed it to her.  
  
"That will pay for the first 20 nights."  
  
"That works for me. Ok, please answer these questions honestly and rest assured that I will be the only one to ever see this. What is your real name?"  
  
"Jaclyn Thompson. J-A-C-L-Y-N." She spelled out.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
"Hey guys. Why weren't you at Tibby's?" Classic asked, greeting the five girls in the bunkroom.  
  
"We decided to come back here, we ate an early dinner." Shane said, looking up from her bunk where she was writing a letter to her sister. Revolution was in a corner practicing on her violin. Emu, Turtle and True were sitting on a bunk playing cards.  
  
"Mind if we join?" Stryker asked. The trio made room for the pair and fifteen minutes had passed by.  
  
"Hey." Raider said timidly walking into the bunkroom. Everyone looked up and stared quizzedly at the new girl. Classic and Stryker jumped up, with guilty expressions on their faces.  
  
"We forgot to tell you. This is our newest addition to the Bottle Alley family, Raider." Strkyer said. "This is Emu, Turtle and True." She said pointing to the girls who were playing cards. "Shane is the one on the bunk and Revolution is over in the corner. Everyone this is Raider, she just moved here from Texas." By this time, Revolution had stopped playing her violin and was staring at the new girl. She walked up and pulled the brown, cowboy hat off of Raider's head.  
  
"Raider Thompson?" She asked. Raider nodded, searching the other girl's face.  
  
"Revolution? Oh my gosh! I never thought I'd see you again!" Raider said, giving Revolution a hug.  
  
"Any idea what's going on?" True asked Emu.  
  
"I'm in the dark." Emu answered. "How do you guys know each other?"  
  
"I saved her and a couple of other girls butts a few years back." Raider answered. "Speaking of butts, where are Sapphire, Requim and the rest of the girls? They been causing any trouble lately?"  
  
"Just the usual. They've been out and about. They're living over in Queens now. I just got back from visiting them today." Revolution answered.  
  
"We're going to head over to Medda's and meet the other boys. You girls wanna join us?" Shane asked.  
  
"Rev, you can go if ya want, but I'm going to stay here tonight. I have some things I need to take care of." Raider replied.  
  
"I'll stay here with you." Revolution answered. One by one the girls left. "What's the deal Raider? Why did ya come out here?" She asked in her Irish accent.  
  
"I'll tell ya later. Is there a bank anywhere near here?"  
  
"Yeah. A couple blocks over, why?"  
  
"I got some money I need deposited."  
  
"Well, it should be closing in a half hour. If we hurry, we'll be able to make it." They grabbed the carpetbag that Raider had and went downstairs.  
  
"Mrs. Cook, will ya come with us to the bank? Raider has some stuff she needs deposited." Revolution asked.  
  
"Well, I really should stay here." Mrs. Cook began.  
  
"With this amount of money, I don't think they'll take too kindly to a sixteen year old depositing it." Raider said.  
  
"Alright." The trio headed down the street, and was soon inside one of the head banker's office.  
  
"I'd like to start a new account." Raider told the banker, Mr. Grey.  
  
"What is your name?" Mr. Grey asked.  
  
"Jaclyn Thompson."  
  
"Alright. Will you be the adult that supervises this account?" He asked Mrs. Cook. She nodded.  
  
"How much money would you like to deposit into the account today?" He asked.  
  
"All the money that is in this bag and if I remember correctly, it amounts to $2170." Everyone's jaw dropped open.  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, where did you get all that money?" Mr. Grey asked, his astonished face turning towards her own.  
  
"Let's just say, I came into a very big inheritance where I used to live." Raider answered. Mr. Grey asked a few more questions and then they left.  
  
"Where did you get all that money?" Revolution asked.  
  
"Stole it." Raider answered curtly and sauntered away. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! I don't own the flashback, I stole that from Revolution's story: The Flames of Friendship: which is a MUST READ!!!  
  
Nikki Rae Kelly - More fics!!! Revolution - More Flames of Friendship soon!!!! Moody - Will do if he ever comes in, you might only be slightly mentioned though. Stress Slick - Hahaha.umm..no. I need her too!! More fic!! AngelicOne Classic Maniac Conlon Fastdancer  
  
"Why did you come to New York, Raider Thompson?" Revolution asked later, putting down her violin and looking at the blonde haired girl lying face up on her bunk.  
  
"Do you remember when we first met?" Raider asked, subtly changing the topic.  
  
Clearwater, Texas  
  
"What are we going to do?" asked Q "Their gonna hang her at sunset"  
  
"No luck talking 'em outta it?" asked Reqiuem.  
  
"Nope" replied Fib.  
  
Sapphire had been in the midst of robbing a jewelry store when she had been hit on the back of the head with a brick.  
  
"I can't believe she made such a dumb mistake" said Countess.  
  
"Ah give 'er a break" said Reqieum "Da guy snuck up on her" Raider Thompson looked over at the girls.  
  
"Excuse me" she said "I've been listenin ta ya conversation, and I believe, me and mah Brudda's can be of some service"  
  
"And why would ya help us?" asked Fib suspiciously.  
  
"Cause, lets just say, I've been in ya shoes before" replied Raider "I'm Raider Thompson"  
  
"Q Andrews"  
  
"Countess Miller"  
  
"Fib Walker"  
  
"Revolution Fredrich."  
  
"Reqiuem Alvarado"  
  
The Next Day.  
  
Sapphire looked out into the angry crowd. "Man, I really screwed up this time." She thought smiling ruefully.  
  
"Does the accused have anything to say?"  
  
"Nah" replied Sapphire "I'm good" The executioner swung his axe and released the trap door. A shot rang out and Sapphire was surprised to fell herself fall through the trap door. A group of young men rode into the small frontier town, shooting their guns and whooping it up.  
  
"Come on Sapphire" said Requiem helping her up "Lets get the hell out of here"  
  
"Sounds good ta me"  
  
The girls ran behind the building where the others were waiting with horses.  
  
"Whose dis?"asked Sapphire pointing at the blond girl with the cowboy hat.  
  
"I'm Raider" said The girl "ya must be Sapphire"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Well, you girls best be getting outta here" said Raider "and if ya eva come back ta Texas. Look me up"  
  
"Thanks" said Requiem.  
  
The girls rode off on the horses that the Rangers had given them.  
  
"We meant to give ya back your horses, but we just never got around to coming back to Clearwater." Revolution said.  
  
"Its ok. We just stole some more. That's how we got around in Texas. Do you remember meeting Stallion?" She asked.  
  
"A muscular, handsome man who seemed to be in charge?" Revolution asked, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Yeah. That would be him. A couple nights ago, on my sixteenth birthday celebration he put the moves on me and well lets say that I sort of made him mad. I knew I couldn't stay there any longer so I hopped a train and here's where it was headed."  
  
"Ok. It's so weird that you came here and ran into Classic and Stryker who brought you back here." Rev said.  
  
"Yeah. It is. What has been going on with you? I dished the dirt on me, so you have to do the same." Raider said, sitting up.  
  
"Well, all of the girls stayed out West for a while. And then we decided to settle down somewhere, I choose New York. A couple of years later all the others did the same but settled in Queens. I became a Newsie and so did some of the other girls and the rest became factory workers. That's pretty much it." Revolution said, giving her a brief summary of the past couple of years.  
  
"Hey! I can not believe you guys missed Medda's!" Stress said, bursting into the bunkroom, followed closely by Lucky.  
  
"Yeah, some of the Brooklyn boys were over along with all of the Manhattan ones. Even Itey was there Rev." She teased.  
  
"Did he ask about me?" Revolution asked, her emerald eyes gleaming hopefully.  
  
"When does he not ask about you?" Toity commented, taking off her shoes and throwing them onto her bunk.  
  
"He wanted to know where you were." Lucky said, picking up a brush and starting to brush Revolution's fiery red curls. "And you." She turned towards Raider, pointing the brush in her direction. "You should have heard the Brooklyn boys. They all wanted to know about this new girl who held Oscar Delaney at gunpoint." Raider just smiled. "Anyways, Spot has decided for everyone that you're to come to Brooklyn tomorrow afternoon." Lucky continued. "Just a warning, although I say this in a loving manner because he's one of my best friends, he's a bit bossy."  
  
"A bit?" Toity asked, shocked.  
  
"Ok, ok, so he's extremely bossy. Don't let it offend you if he tells you what to do or how to act; that's just the way he is. And as for Hades, Chase and Sullivan, they're Spot's seconds, don't get on their bad side cause they'll make life a living hell for you. I think that's all you need to know for dealing with Brooklyn." Lucky said, as Mrs. Cook came up and told them lights out.  
  
"Don't let it worry you." Classic said.  
  
"Yeah, you'll be fine." Stryker added.  
  
"I'm not worried, its just this whole aristocracy thing was so much simpler in Texas." Raider said to them before falling asleep, warm and cozy in a bed for the first time in what felt like forever.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
"Good morning, sunshine." Shane said in a sing-songy voice opening the plaid curtains in the bunkroom. Raider opened her eyes, groaned and rolled over.  
  
"Don't you people grasp the concept of sleep?" Raider mumbled into her pillow.  
  
"Sleep? What's sleep?" Aki said jokingly.  
  
"We just wake when the papes are ready to be sold, which unfortunately is early in the morning." Stryker said, pulling Raider out of bed.  
  
"Here." Classic said, thrusting some clothes at the tousled blonde girl. "Your clothes wouldn't exactly be New Yoik clothes, so I took the liberty of getting ya some new ones."  
  
"Thanks." Raider said skeptically as she looked at what she caught: a pair of black pants, a dark blue shirt, black suspenders and a black Newsie cap. "This is what you guys wear?" She asked, taking off the clothes she slept in and putting those on.  
  
"Every day." Stress said cheerfully slipping on her white shirt and carefully placing her Newsie hat on top of her light brown curls. "Lucky! Hurry ya ass up!" Stress yelled into the bathroom. "Gawd, what would take that girl so long?" She wondered outloud.  
  
"Sorry!" Lucky said, running out of the bathroom and trying to put on her shoe at the same time.  
  
"My, my. Aren't we looking especially nice today?" Shane said, nudging Toity.  
  
"Would this have anything to do wit a certain Brooklyn Newsie you'se planning on seeing today?" Toity asked, grinning evilly.  
  
"O'coise not. I look like dis everyday." Lucky said smugly. Stress snorted.  
  
"Whatever, Luck." Stress said. "C'mon. We have to go and meet Jack."  
  
"Stress and Lucky are selling partners with Jack and David. You haven't met David yet, unlike da rest of us, he has a family that he goes to each night." Classic explained. "You can sell with me and Stryker today."  
  
"Ok." Raider said as Lucky popped her head back into the room.  
  
"Remember, anyone who wants to go to Brooklyn needs to meet at Tibby's at 11'o'clock." She said before dodging back down the stairs.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
"So, how exactly do I do this?" Raider asked, looking at the papers in her hand.  
  
"Well, the key to being a Newsie is to improve the headlines." Stryker said.  
  
"So, lying. I can lie. Mayor caught up in gambling scandal!" She shouted, holding up a newspaper. Classic took one of her papers and thumbed through the pages.  
  
"Mayor loses in annual poker game?" Classic asked. "You ain't too bad, Raider."  
  
"Not bad at all." Stryker said.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~*~~*  
  
"What's so great about Brooklyn?" Raider asked Lucky and Stress as they walked over the Brooklyn Bridge.  
  
"Lucky would say Sullivan's there, her little honey bunches of oats." Stress said, dodging Lucky's playful slap.  
  
"For one thing." Lucky said, giggling and stepping in front of Stress. "Spot Conlon, da most feared and respected Newsie in all o'da city is dere. And den dere's Hades, Chase, Sullivan, Gip and a whole bunch of oddahs."  
  
"See what I mean?" Stress said in a stage whisper. "I haven't seen her dis happy in, well in forevah."  
  
"Are we talking bout Sullivan 'gain?" Jack asked, falling back to join the three girls and placing an arm around Stress's and Lucky's shoulders.  
  
"Yes." Lucky said with a sigh.  
  
"I think she's actually serious about this one." Jack said, looking at Raider.  
  
"I've been serious bout guys before!" Lucky protested.  
  
"No, ya haven't." Stress and Jack said.  
  
"There's the docks." Lucky said. "C'mon Raider, we'se gonna beat dem dere."  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
"Hey Spot." Lucky called out, looking upwards. Raider followed her line of vision and saw a boy standing on top of some crates.  
  
"Heya Luck, where's da uddahs?" He asked, starting down towards them.  
  
"Dere comin. Ya know dem, just a bunch of slowpokes." She called up. "Dat would be Spot Conlon, leadah of Brooklyn. Whatevah ya do, don't fall foah him. He's one o'da biggest playas this side of the rivah." She whispered.  
  
"And, who's dis?" Spot asked, jumping in front of them.  
  
"Dis would be Raider. She showed up in Manhattan a couple days ago. She says she's from Texas." Lucky said. Spot reached up to touch the cowboy hat on Raider's head.  
  
"She one o'Jacky-boy's goils?"  
  
"I'm not anybody's girl." Raider said, brushing Spot's hand off of her hat.  
  
"She's a fiery one." Lucky explained. "So..Spot, where's Sullivan?" Spot smiled.  
  
"Just inside the warehouse. He, Chase, Hades and a couple oddahs are playin pokah."  
  
"My specialty." Lucky said. "I'll introduce ya to da oddahs." She took Raider's hand and led her to a couple of big warehouses. "Foist tings first. Brooklyn's structure is kinda like an aristocracy. See at da top is Spot, den dere's his seconds. Dose would be Chase, Hades and Sullivan. Ya best be remembering not ta piss any of dem off, cause Spot wouldn't be too happy. Chase is pretty cute, and single too." She said, nudging Raider.  
  
"I ain't really interested in getting involved right now." She responded. Lucky shrugged.  
  
"Suit yourself." Lucky said. "Hades, dear!" She called out, entering a dark room. The table of Newsies looked up. Raider saw a dark girl look up.  
  
"Luck, dat you?" She called. "Damn goil, ya haven't been ta Brooklyn in forevah."  
  
"I know. Everyone comes ta Manhattan cause dey seek me out instead." The girl next to Hades snorted.  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"Heya Gip, how ya been?" Lucky asked.  
  
"I've been good." She answered, turning her head so that Raider got a good look at her. She had olive colored skin, with dark features and long dark hair.  
  
"Who exactly would come seek you'se out?" A boy asked, turning around and standing up. Raider assumed it was Sullivan by the way that Lucky's face lit up. Raider had to admit that he was pretty cute. She thought he was about Jack's height, only a lot more muscular and he had brown hair, shorter than most of the boys she had seen and green eyes.  
  
"Ya know, the usuals from da Bronx, Harlem and Queens." Lucky said. He nodded.  
  
"Dat's what I tought." He responded.  
  
"Who's dat?" Another boy asked. This one was taller than Sullivan, with the same brown hair but chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"Hello to ya too Chase." Lucky said sarcastically. "Dis is Raider. She showed up in Manhattan a couple o'days ago and Jack thought that he should take 'er to Brooklyn. Raider dis is Chase. Den da one next to him is Sullivan, Hades, Wildcard and Gip." The boy named Wildcard said hello. It was then that Raider realized he had English accent.  
  
"Ya two wanna play?" Chase asked.  
  
"Do ya even have ta ask?" Lucky said, sitting down next to Sullivan. She looked at Raider.  
  
"Sure. Where should I sit?" Raider asked.  
  
"Ya can share wit me, cause there ain't no more seats." Lucky said, scooting over as Raider found herself rather close to Chase.  
  
"So what do ya Brooklyn boys got?" Lucky asked, looking around the table.  
  
"Two of a kind." Hades said, throwing down her cards.  
  
"Nothing." Gip and Chase said.  
  
"Straight." Wildcard, said in his English accent with a cigar hanging out of his mouth.  
  
"Flush." Sullivan said, smiling. "Beat dat."  
  
"Full house." Lucky said, scooping up the money in the middle of the table.  
  
"Why did we ask her to play again?" Hades asked the table. Grumbles were heard as she stood up smiling.  
  
"I'm going to go talk to Spot and Jack, we'se got some business to attend to." She said, standing up.  
  
"What business do you have wit them?" Sullivan asked. "Spot tells us everyting and he didn't say anything bout business wit you."  
  
"What does it matter to you?" She asked him as he walked over to her. He whispered in her and she giggled.  
  
"If Spot asks, me and Sullivan are going on a walk." Lucky said, as Sullivan led her out of the warehouse.  
  
"Those two." Gip said, shaking her head.  
  
"If it gets any worse, they'll need a room." Hades said, looking around the table. She narrowed her eyes when she saw that Chase and Raider were the only ones that hadn't laughed at her little joke. They were talking amongst themselves and he had just laughed at something she had said.  
  
"This isn't going to happen again." Hades thought. "Where did you say you were from?" She asked Raider.  
  
"Texas." She replied, looking up from her conversation with Chase.  
  
"Hmm..I've known a couple people from Texas and they were all whores." She said, giving Raider the once over. "Are you Cowboy's whore?" She asked evilly. "This part of Brooklyn ain't too acceptin of da whores, except for da men. But its da love em and leave em kinda thing here." Raider narrowed her eyes.  
  
"You're such a bitch." She commented. "What did I do to you?"  
  
"Raider, what you have to learn is that I'm the bitch. There's a reason why my name is Hades. And you were just here." Hades said, laughing. Raider pushed out her chair and stormed out of the warehouse.  
  
"Hades, why did ya have to do dat? She didn't do anyting to insult you'se." Chase said, watching Raider then turning back to face his friend.  
  
"Not directly." She thought. Out loud she said, "I just had a feeling about her. And ya know da last goil I had a feeling about." Chase nodded, understanding what she was talking about.  
  
A/N: Hades, I'm gonna need some help with those bitchy parts. Email me! R/R!! 


End file.
